Effective parking management is an ongoing challenge on university campuses due to the difficulty of achieving a balance between limited space and continually increasing demands, and it is further complicated by the diverse demographic characteristics of the population. Prior research has focused on standalone aspects such as space availability and digital technology but has neglected to address interaction between the factors that influence user satisfaction. This study aims to address this research gap by identifying distinct demographic clusters within the university community and correlating them with parking behaviors and satisfaction levels. To achieve this goal, a survey was conducted among students, faculty, and staff at a university campus. The 873 responses that were received provided robust data on the respondents’ travel patterns, parking behaviors, and socio-demographic characteristics and served as the database for the chi-square tests and cluster analysis that were conducted to identify individual clusters. Three distinct clusters—Challenged Parkers, Flexible Commuters, and Satisfied Parkers—were identified, revealing variations in parking experiences influenced by age, income, and openness to technological solutions. Regression analysis highlighted parking availability, cost, and enforcement fairness as key predictors of satisfaction, with cost being most critical for Flexible Commuters and availability and enforcement fairness for Challenged Parkers. While tailored strategies were developed for each cluster, universal recommendations included improved communication, flexible pricing, and the integration of advanced technology to enhance satisfaction across all groups. This study will benefit university administrators, urban planners, and policymakers by providing actionable insights into tailored parking management strategies.
Channamallu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.